COMMON TYPES OF NETWORK CABLING
Unshielded twisted pair cables, 22-24 gauge (UTP)
Advantages -- Inexpensive, may be in place in some places; familiar and simple to install.
Disadvantages -- Subject to interference, both internal and external; limited bandwidth, which translates into slower transmissions. Somewhat vulnerable to security
breaches; may become obsolete quickly because of new technologies.
Shielded twisted pair cables, 22-24 (STP)
Advantages -- Easy installation; reasonable cost; resistance to interference; better electrical characteristics than unshielded cables; better data security; easily
terminated with modular connector.
Disadvantages -- May become obsolete due to technical advances; can be tapped, breaching security.
Coaxial cables
Advantages -- Familiar and fairly easy to install; better electrical characteristics (lower attenuation and great bandwidth than shielded or unshielded cables;
highly resistant to interference; generally good data security; easy to connect.
Disadvantages -- May become obsolete due to technological advances; can be tapped, breaching security.
Optical fiber cables
Advantages -- Top performance; excellent bandwidth ( high in the gigabit range, and theoretically higher); very long life span; excellent security; allows for very
high rates of data transmission; causes no interference and is not subject to electromagnetic interference; smaller and lighter than other cable types.
Disadvantages -- Slightly higher installed cost than twisted -pair cables.